Preface.- Hilbert's Problems. A Research Program for Future Generations: U.Bottazzini.-The Way We Were. The Protagonists of the "Italian Spring" in the First Decades of the Twentieth Century: G.Bolondi et al.- Intermezzo: Verlaine and Poincar? from Etudes litt?raires: P.Val?ry.- B.Russell. Paradoxes and Other Enigmas: G.Rigamonti.- G.H.Hardy. A Brilliant Mind: R.Lucchetti.- E.Noether. The Mother of Algebra: A.Brigaglia.- Intermezzo: Carciopholus romanus...